


Things Not Planned

by nebula_vs_supernova



Series: Henceforth, I Break My Vow [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Deaf Character, Dean Winchester is a mess, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Marriage Proposal, but in the background - Freeform, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:40:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27932428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nebula_vs_supernova/pseuds/nebula_vs_supernova
Summary: Sam does a thing impulsively (and it's the best choice he's ever made), Dean's just Not Talking About It™, Jody is amazing, and there's a dog in the car.
Relationships: Claire Novak & Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Jody Mills & Sam Winchester, Kaia Nieves/Claire Novak
Series: Henceforth, I Break My Vow [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2045356
Kudos: 13





	Things Not Planned

**Author's Note:**

> So, I wrote _Peace_ based on what I thought would actually be shown in an episode, but my brain hates me, so I wanted to write the scenes that just didn't make the cut. Also, I don't think we appreciate that Sam just _left_ Eileen's car there in _Inherit the Earth_.  
> So, yeah. I went from "I will never write _Supernatural_ fanfic" to this.  
> Please feel free to point out mistakes. I do my best, but you know how it is.

They stopped off at the standard fare: some shitty motel right off the highway. Dean dropped him off, said to get the room and he’d get the grub. It worked. It was time to breathe. Because no matter how much he loved Dean, his brother oozed his feelings even when he didn’t try, and right now? Sam just wanted a second to bask in finally being free.

To Dean, freedom probably meant a lot of things, but for Sam, it carried a semblance of fear. Every girl he loved, every rebellious decision he made, every mistake; now Sam got to see which ones were really his. That was a tiny bit exhilarating but mostly terrifying. Responsibility. No demon blood or prophecy or Chuck controlling what he does.

Sam sits down on the bed, the too-soft mattress sagging under his weight, and he stretches out his legs. A smile, and he drops back on the bed. There’s a crack in the ceiling, and dust thickly coating the popcorn of the ceiling.

His phone buzzes, and Sam sits back up, frowning. He digs the phone out of his pocket. There’s three notifications.

**From: Eileen**

_Sam? What happened?_

_I don’t really know, but it’s daytime now, and my stuff is gone._

**From: Eileen**

_Are you okay?_

The last was recent. The others from earlier in the day.

**To: Eileen**

_Yeah. Sorry. We made it through. I’ve got your stuff._

**From: Eileen**

_Good._

_When are you bringing my car back?_

So that’s what they forgot. Sam’s finger taps against the edge of his phone, and he navigates to his thread with Donna.

**To: Donna**

_Hey. Can I ask a favor?_

It takes a few minutes, but:

**From: Donna**

_Of course, sugar. What do you need?_

**To: Donna**

_I left Eileen’s car near this diner. Sammy's Highway Café, I think._

**From: Donna**

_Already done._

_Glad you boys are okay._

Sam smiles down at his phone.

**To: Donna**

_Right back at you._

He switches back to Eileen’s thread to respond.

**To: Eileen**

_Donna’s taking care of it._

**From: Eileen**

_If there’s even a scratch on it,_

_I will never let you near my car again._

He brings his hand over his mouth, laughing a little. When his hand drops to type, his smile is fond. It’s the kind of sappy lovesick associated with love spells and teenagers and anything except middle-aged hunters who have romantic histories that usually double as casualty lists. It’s the kind of sweet that only comes when you’re lucky.

**To: Eileen**

_Can we do dinner tomorrow night?_

**From: Eileen**

_Yeah. My place?_

**To: Eileen**

_Yeah. See you then. Love you._

**From: Eileen**

_Love you too._

The door bangs against the wall, and in tumbles Dean Winchester, loaded down with takeout and a brown paper bag. He’s smiling hard and cheering too loudly.

“Sammy!”

Sam’s smile turns the other kind of fond – the kind of fond reserved for endearing older brothers – and he gets to his feet, moving to take some of the bags. They shuffle around, setting out their dinner and doling out beers. There’s a bottle of scotch deeper in the bag, but Sam figures Dean will talk when Dean’s ready and not a moment before.

* * *

The next morning is pushing through a lukewarm shower, greasy diner food that tastes like old oil, and Dean mumbling his order for coffee and trying to pour liquor in it. Sam stops him with a hand on the wrist.

“Dude,” he warns. “You’re driving.”

Dean groans. “Defeat God, and this is what I get.” Dean rubs at his forehead, stabbing at his eggs with his fork and picking up nothing.

“You’re just hungover.” Sam takes a sip of his coffee. It tastes burnt and bitter like it sat in the pot too long. “Drink some water or something.”

Dean tears off a piece of his bacon. “Bitch,” he says through the half-chewed food.

Sam smiles the indulgent-little-brother-smile. “Jerk.” He takes a bite of his omelet, waiting to see if Dean was going to continue. “So, hey. I was thinking we should stop by Eileen’s.”

“I’m not taking you to hook up with your girlfriend,” Dean grumbles, staring down at his plate.

Sam huffs a little. “It’s not like that. I just—” He shrugs— “I want to check on her. You know?”

Dean stays quiet, pushing his eggs around with his fork.

“Dean?”

The fork stabs against the plate, not picking anything up again. “Yeah,” Dean says in a quiet voice. He clears his throat and looks up. “Yeah. Let’s stop by and check on her.” He looks away, at some of the other people milling about a roadside diner at ten a.m. “I gotta pick up some stuff for the dog anyway.”

“The dog?”

* * *

Which is how Sam found out that Dean had smuggled that dog from the gas station in the back of the Impala.

“Dean! You stole a dog!”

Dean scratched behind the dog’s ear, not even really paying attention to Sam. “He didn’t have any tags. It’s not stealing.”

Sam sputtered. “What happened to the ‘No Dogs’ rule?”

“Miracle’s a good boy, aren’t you?” The dog almost looked like he was smiling. Dean certainly was. “He’s allowed.”

Sam rolled his eyes, opening the passenger door. “Fine, but you’re not leaving him in the car overnight again.” He got in, slamming the door shut.

“What makes you think he slept outside?”

Sam sighs and sinks down lower into the seat.

* * *

Eileen greets them when they arrive with hugs, reaching up to loop her arms around Sam’s neck and squeezing tight and casting an amused look at the dog sitting at Dean’s heel before pulling him in briefly. She gestures them both in, but Dean shakes his head, stumbling a little through the signs as he tells her that he’s got to do some shopping.

“How are you?” She asks as they settle some of Dean’s things in the guest room.

“Good,” Sam signs back. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

She smiles. “Me too. How’s Dean?”

A frown pulls onto his face before he can stop it. “Dean’s,” Sam stops, trying to find the word. “Weird, I think.” He sighs, running his hands through his hair. Eileen puts her hand on his arm and gestures for him to continue. “He seems fine. Sometimes.” Sam faces her when he speaks. “One minute, everything’s great, and then he’s moping and weird.”

“Have you talked to him?”

A laugh leaves him before he can stop it. “It’s Dean.”

She smiles. “Then trust him to talk when he’s ready.”

* * *

Luckily, Dean decides to go out that night. “Didn’t want to crowd them”, but really, Sam thinks he just felt like a third wheel. It doesn’t matter because they’re sitting there eating Italian under the yellow-tinged overhead lights in Eileen’s kitchen. Her hair is pulled up in a ponytail, the fuzzy flyaways just barely escaping, and she’s signing a joke about the new cashier at the grocery store who was confused that she was shopping alone and—

And he just really loved her.

It wasn’t like how he loved Ruby, intoxicating and shallow. It wasn’t like he loved Amelia, desperate and blind, or Madison, light and new. He had loved them in passing or in mistakes. It wasn’t even really like he loved Jess because she understood the things that he never would have dared told Jess about, but it came the closest. He loved Eileen in a way that he would never recover from if she died.

When Chuck took her away, it felt like he was a gun being aimed. It felt like when Jess died, and he knew he had to kill Azazel. Then Jack brought her back, and Sam was already dreading the moment he had to leave.

His hands were moving before Sam had the chance to notice. His eyebrows went up with the question.

_You. Marry. Me._

Eileen laughs a little, a shocked sound, but she says, “Yes.”

Sam’s face goes pale. “I don’t have a ring,” he says out loud, freezing, and Eileen starts laughing for real.

She wipes the corner of her eye and smiles at him. It’s enough for the ground to drop out from under him. “My ring size is a seven,” Eileen signs.

Sam nods. “Okay.” He smiles. “Okay.”

* * *

They leave the next morning, and for once, Sam doesn’t feel dread clawing up the back of his throat.

* * *

Dean decides the next stop is Jody’s. When Sam asks, Dean says he wants to check in, and quieter, he reminds Sam that Cas was kinda the closest thing Claire had to her father. It’s an easy thing to forget since Cas had been rebuilt in that body so many years ago. Plus, the whole Lucifer thing makes Cas exploding something Sam doesn’t like to remember.

They pull up to Claire and Kaia sitting on the porch steps. Claire stands while Dean is putting the car in park, and the dog – _Miracle_ – sits up to look out the window. He woofs softly. Sam gets out of the car first. Dean lingers, fiddling with Miracle’s new leash.

“Hey,” Sam puts his hands in his pockets, “Claire, Kaia. Good to see you guys.”

Kaia raises her hand in a wave, and Claire asks, “Hey. Wasn’t expecting you guys.” She glances past Sam at Dean and the dog. “Everything okay?”

“Just stopping by.” Sam smiles. “Jody in?”

“She’s out.” Kaia stands up, heading over. “But she’s supposed to be back soon.”

Claire smiles a little as Miracle rounds the car, pulling a little on the leash. “What’s with the dog?”

Sam groans, and Dean frowns. “What about the dog?” He says it like he’s vaguely offended.

“Dean’s picking up strays now,” Sam supplements.

Claire snickers. “I can tell.”

Kaia smiles, kneeling to pet Miracle. “He’s cute. What’s his name?” She looks up at Dean.

“Miracle,” he mutters, and Claire laughs. “What?”

Claire waves her hand, dismissive. “Nothing. Just—” she snorts. “It’s kind of cheesy.”

“We beat God,” Dean complains. “I’m allowed.”

And that just made Claire laugh harder.

* * *

When Jody got back, she had been surprised to find the Winchester boys in her living room, but she greeted them with a hug. Pleasantries exchanged: Alex is at work and won’t be back until the middle of the night (graveyard shift), Kaia and Claire are doing good but think Jody doesn’t know that they sneak into each other’s rooms, Jack’s…well, Jack’s doing whatever Jack’s doing, and yes. Dean got a dog. For some reason.

“What about Cas?” Jody’s the one who brings it up, and Dean reaches down to scratch behind Miracle’s ear.

Sam clears his throat. “Actually, I wanted to ask you something.” Jody raises her eyebrows. “In private.”

“Hey, Jody?” Dean interrupts before she can speak. “Mind if I take the girls out?” He looks up from the dog. “We’ll bring back dinner.”

Jody smiles, surprised. “Yeah. Sure.” She looks at the girls where they’re sitting, crushed together on the couch. “Sound fun?”

“Yeah,” from Kaia.

“No,” from Claire, but she’s smirking through it.

“Yeah, yeah.” Dean heaves himself up with a groan. “Just get in the car.”

Claire jumps up first, more of a bounce in her step than Kaia but staying close enough to keep hold of her hand. Miracle looks up as they leave.

“Where did you want to go?” Kaia.

Dean shrugs, closing the front door behind them. “Your choice.”

“As long as it’s not mini golf,” Claire teases, getting an offended noise from Dean.

Jody waits until they hear the engine of the Impala. Then she leans forward. “What’s going on?”

So, good news or bad news first?

* * *

They end up walking down the street after getting ice cream which makes Dean’s knees click. _Man, he’s getting old._ Kaia and Claire are chattering about what they’ve been doing. Kaia’s been doing some classes, but she’s considering dropping out. Claire took down a ghost that was terrorizing a family last week. They finish their ice cream.

“Here,” Kaia says through her last spoonful, holding out a hand. “I’ll find a trash can.”

Claire smiles as she hands over the remainder of a sticky, crumpled napkin and paper cup. Dean just grunts a thanks. Kaia takes off the way they came at a light jog like someone crossing the street. Claire looks after her for a bit before sighing and sitting down on the bus bench.

“So what’s wrong?” She leans on the edge of the bench, looking over at Dean.

He sits down next to her. “Why does something have to be wrong?” He won’t look at her, squinting at the storefronts across the street instead.

“Come on.” Claire laughs, humorless. “ _Ice cream?_ ”

Dean sighs. He leans over, bracing an elbow on his knee and rubbing the back of his neck. The smile drops off Claire’s face and she shuffles closer to him.

“Okay. Seriously.” She knocks Dean’s shoulder. “Who died?”

“Cas,” he mumbles. Realizing she probably didn’t hear, he sighs and sits up. “Cas d—” His voice dies, and he swallows.

The tension drops out of Claire. “Oh.” She sags back into the bench. “How?”

Dean swallows again. “Deal.” Claire nods. There’s a pause.

“So that’s why—” she waves her hands— “the visit, the ice cream.”

“Yeah.” He nods a little. “Figured you deserved to hear it from me.”

“Yeah,” she echoes.

Kaia comes back to utter silence between them, and when they drive back to Jody’s, Dean hears Claire explaining it to her in the backseat. The guilt stings in the back of his throat.

* * *

Jody sits back in the chair, sighing. “Do you know how?”

Sam shakes his head. “Dean’s not real forthcoming with the details.”

She rubs over her mouth. “Yeah. That sounds about right.”

Sam shifts. “But— uh, there’s another thing.”

The sigh is exhaustion, dread for the next set of news. Jody sits up properly. “Hit me.”

“I— uh,” the smile pulls at his face. “I proposed to Eileen.”

Jody blinks at him. Then her face lights up in a smile, and she reaches over to push his shoulder. “Oh my god! Why didn’t you start with that?”

Sam grins. He’s looking down as his hand comes up to scratch the back of his neck. “I haven’t told Dean yet. He’s— uh, he’s still pretty torn up about Cas, and— it’s just not the right time.”

Jody nods, the smile flickering. “So how’d you ask?”

“I wasn’t really planning on it,” Sam says with a little laugh. “We were just eating dinner, and I asked. Didn’t even have a ring.”

“What?” Jody laughs, incredulous and happy.

“Yeah. I was—” Sam cuts himself off. “I actually wanted your advice. On rings.”

Jody stands up. “I’ll be right back.”

She leaves Sam sitting there on the couch, staring after her and confused. When she comes back, she has a box in her hand. She throws it to him, and he fumbles to catch it. The box clicks open, and the ring isn’t fancy – tarnished silver band, small diamond, square cut. Sam’s eyebrows furrow, and his gaze shifts up to Jody.

“It was my mother’s,” she explains. “She offered it to Sean when he asked, but he had already bought mine.”

“Jody, I—” his voice cuts out.

She waves her hand as she sits down. “Don’t mention it.” A smile pulls across her face, fond, and she pats him on the knee. “I’m happy for you.”

* * *

Dean came back with the girls, grim-tinged and quiet. Jody met Claire with a hug, brushing her hair back from her face and asking how she was. They stayed for dinner, but when Jody invites them to stay for the night, Dean insists they have to get back to the bunker. She smiles at him indulgently.

“Well, you’re always welcome.” She leans down to squish Miracle’s cheeks. “And, of course, if you ever need us to watch this darling,” Jody stands up, puppy-voice dying as she continued, “just give us a call.”

“Thanks, Jody.”

A forcible hug later, Dean’s back in the driver’s seat, and Sam is hunched with his head against the passenger window. His left hand is in his pocket, turning the box Jody gave him. He should tell Dean now. Dean will be angry if he finds out that Sam hid it from him to spare his feelings.

In the end, Sam falls asleep before he can decide.

**Author's Note:**

>  ** _Sam._** That's the thing.


End file.
